


Stars on Earth

by CastielTheAngel



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Fireflies, Gen, Number Five: A Pidge Zine, POV Pidge | Katie Holt, POV Third Person, Pidge | Katie Holt-centric, Return to Earth AU, Stargazing, Stars, Zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 15:00:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14404575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastielTheAngel/pseuds/CastielTheAngel
Summary: The rest of her friends want to look at the stars, but there's something else that catches Pidge's attention.





	Stars on Earth

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the Number Five Zine, a free Voltron E-zine dedicated to our favorite green paladin! 
> 
> The zine has been going on since late 2017, I believe, but the mods opened up more applications earlier this year, and I was lucky enough to be accepted! It's been an absolute blast working alongside all of these incredibly wonderful and talented people! I would do it again in a heartbeat. <3 
> 
> I encourage you to go download the zine from [Pidgevoltronzine](https://pidgevoltronzine.tumblr.com) on Tumblr and check out everyone else's beautiful work!

          She has been intently staring at the turning pages of her old, worn paperback copy of _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ for quite a long while. Much as she adores technology, she had dearly missed the feeling of soft, fragile paper between her fingers during her time in space.

          Katie has never been one for fairytales or fantasies, but she always finds herself coming back to this particular book. It had been the first story her brother had ever read to her when they were children, and in turn, the first one she had ever read by herself. He’d gifted it to her as a Christmas present, one of her earliest memories, and she has completely adored it ever since.

          Speaking of Matt, Katie barely has a moment to register the swift knocks against her dormitory door before the elder boy pushes it open and steps inside, phone in one hand and a Cheshire Cat grin spreading across his face.  
          Katie can hear the elation in her brother’s voice as he relays the text he’d apparently received from Shiro. They were to meet him and the rest of their friends on Sugarloaf Hill as soon as they could.

          She can feel her own lips curling into a smile similar to Matt’s as he tells her to change into a sweater and some warmer pants. She hurries to do so.

          Katie tucks her hands safely inside the pockets of her jeans as she follows Matt outside of the large training facility.  
          It’s mid–autumn, so she’s not at all fazed by the brisk wind that tugs at the scarf around her neck and whisks multihued leaves into her cinnamon hair, which she’s been growing out.

          The two siblings walk side–by–side down the pavement in the direction of their nearby destination. A comfortable silence hangs between them, and it’s soon filled by the pleasant songs of Whip-poor-wills as night grows nearer.

 

          Sugarloaf Hill is a beautiful location, all windswept grass in the summer and flowers blooming in the spring. It’s a bit akin to an oasis, a safe haven in the otherwise desert-like location of the Galaxy Garrison. It had always been one of Katie’s favorite places; she’d retreat there to study during exam season.  
          It reminds her of a place Matt used to take her when they were younger. They would chase after butterflies in the fading sunlight, and they would obnoxiously imitate the chirping crickets once night fell.

 

          Katie’s chest tightens when she spots four silhouetted figures standing stationary at the top of the hill, and her heart leaps into her throat when she hears her own familiar nickname being cheered by a lighthearted voice. She feels like she hasn’t heard it in years.

          It had only been a few weeks since the Paladins and Matt had returned to Earth, and in that time, she hadn’t seen or even _texted_ any one of them. They’d all gone straight home to spend time with their respective families– save for Keith, but he'd had Shiro. They'd returned to another trainee location– just a few minutes away from the Garrison– only three days ago.  
          Despite being apart for such a short time, Katie had found herself missing them profusely. Much as she might have denied it before, she had grown to cherish their company, and it was strange to be without Hunk’s smiles, Lance’s laughter, Keith’s deadpan remarks, and Shiro’s friendly chatter for so long.

          The source of the voice rapidly is approaching, quick to draw Katie away from her thoughts.  
          Before she has the chance to open her mouth and greet him, she’s being pulled into long arms and a slender torso clothed in a dark blue knitted sweater.

          Her face is pressed against his chest, and she finds herself reaching to return the affection, fingertips digging into the soft space between his shoulder blades. She wants to remind Lance that she needs oxygen to _live_ , but she can’t bring herself to. Not when all she’d been wanting to do for the past few weeks was hug her brotherly companions.

          Katie can’t see who’s coming next, but she can hear more approaching footsteps thudding against the grass. She instantaneously recognizes the second pair of large, strong arms that engulf both her and Lance in a noticeably stronger embrace.  
          The hug is warm and sweet. It’s almost _dizzyingly_ comforting. No, wait, that’s her running out of air–

          “Hey, I love you guys, but I’m going to suffocate in here.” She laughs into Lance’s chest. Both Hunk and Lance release their grips, allowing Katie to take a small step back and breathe.

          “Sorry, Pidge,” Hunk says apologetically, but the wide grin on his face heavily outweighs the guilt, as does Lance’s own smirk.  
          “We just missed you!” The former Red Paladin enthuses, blue eyes alight in what Katie can only describe as joy.

          “Yeah, I missed you guys too.” She admits in a nonchalant tone, feigning indifference. She knows the unconcerned expression doesn’t reach her eyes as a genuine one would, doing nothing to mask her happiness. But then again, she's not exactly _trying_ to hide it.

          Vaguely, Katie notices that Matt had already made the short hike up the hill to meet Shiro and Keith.

          “We should get up there.” She suggests, turning and taking a small step forward. A startled yelp passes her lips when she’s lifted off the ground and swung up to sit on the tallest of the trio’s shoulders. Hearing Lance’s gleeful laughter as Hunk steadies her makes up for the initial shock.  
          Katie is piggy–backed all the way up the hill. There is a comfortable silence where she would normally tease Hunk about being able to walk by herself, but she has already come to terms with the fact that she’s truly missed this, and she feels no real urge to say anything, anyway.

          At the top of the hill, Katie is greeted by yet another cozy embrace from Shiro and Keith. It’s a bit more brief than the hug she’d shared with Lance and Hunk, but she enjoys it all the same.  
          She takes a seat on the ground when Keith invitingly pats the spot next to him, mimicking the boys as they kneel and crouch and lie down.

 

          The evening sunshine paints a warm orange glow across her freckle-dappled cheeks. She’s missed the similar setting in which she'd enjoyed wind-chilled evenings spent with Matt so many years ago, and this is a great alternative that quenches her longing to return there.

          Katie stares out at the valley of red and orange sandstone where the grass tapers off. Indigo shadows creep tentatively along the rocks as the sun sinks reverently below the Earthline behind them. The ground beneath her palms grows cooler, but she doesn’t mind it.  
          She listens to the good-natured banter shared between Keith and Lance, something that had once endlessly irritated her. She listens to Hunk’s friendly chatter, and Shiro’s soothing replies. She listens to the crickets that begin to buzz cheerfully along to the sound of her friends’ voices.

          As the sun bids its final goodbyes for the day, stars begin to appear in the darkening sky. Katie becomes aware that the conversation between the former Paladins and Matt has quieted down. Everyone– save for Shiro and Katie– had shifted their positions to lie in the grass and stare up at the glowing stars as they become more and more prominent.

          Katie’s eyes are trained on something else. Gentle as the breeze around them, small insects begin to arise from the ground. They flaunt their beautifully glowing bodies as they dance between blades of grass and into the crisp, cool air. _Fireflies._

_  
“Whatcha got there, Katie?” Matt asks as he crouches down beside his five–year–old sister._

_“A bug!” Katie replies cheerfully as she lifts the translucent jar in her small hands to reveal her findings. Matt pushes his slipping glasses further up on the bridge of his nose as stares at the little insect for a moment. A wide grin spreads across his face._

_“That’s a firefly, silly! Let’s keep it until it gets dark. It’ll look really cool, then!”_

_The siblings settle down in the grass to wait for nightfall. Soon enough, the last of the sunlight is fading from the sky. Katie had fallen asleep against her brother’s shoulder ten minutes earlier. She awakens to Matt shaking her arm, a hushed “Look, look!” falling from his lips._

_Katie looks._

_The girl stares in wonder at what Matt is holding between his fingers. The jar that she’d captured this “firefly” in is gleaming in a lovely, pale shade of yellow._

_Katie remains speechless as Matt tosses a brilliant smile in her direction._

_“It’s like a star!” She finally exclaims. Matt’s eyes brighten even further._

_“Yeah! I think fireflies are like Earth’s version of stars.” He agrees. “But I think we should set this little star free, now. Say goodbye to it,”_

_Katie nods reluctantly. Slowly, she reaches to unscrew the hole–punctured lid from the jar._

_“Bye–bye, firefly,” The moment she lifts the metal cap, the firefly buzzes right out. It hovers for a moment, as if confused– or perhaps it’s thanking the children– before taking to the night sky in a tiny, soaring flash of light._

 

          “Ooh, look at that!” Lance’s voice rings out into the darkness, and Katie turns her head. He’s pointing upward towards the sky, and she follows his gaze, but she doesn’t see anything. She barely catches a murmured _“Make a wish,”_ from Shiro, unveiling the identity of the object Lance must’ve been enthusing about.

          “Pidge, you missed it.” Matt says. His tone is soft and curious. “Don’t you want to look at the stars with us?”

          “Nope.” Katie shakes her head definitively. “Stars are nice, but I’m kind of done with those for a while, y’know?”  
          Matt has no response to her statement, but an understanding smile graces his face.

          “Besides,” She goes on, softer this time as she finds herself returning the expression. “Fireflies are like the Earth’s version of stars.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Again, please go check out the zine on the Tumblr page, [Pidgevoltronzine](https://pidgevoltronzine.tumblr.com)! You won't regret it. <3


End file.
